From her work with people suffering from dissociative identity disorder (DID) and those who have survived near-death experiences, Dr. Harrison invites clients to reframe their “symptoms” as soul signals. She explains why patients’ spirituality and lived experiences are as important as clinical data when it comes to understanding mental illness and healing.

Dr. Harrison discusses why trauma disorders are often misunderstood or go undiagnosed, and how they can lead to problems such as addiction and homelessness.

Dr. Kirsten Viola Harrison shares inspiring stories of people who have overcome traumatic events and found new meaning, passion, and purpose in their lives, along with lessons she has learned from her 35+ years of research and clinical experience with trauma survivors.

From her work bridging psychology and spirituality, Dr. Harrison shares what it means to heal the human soul, the implications for better understanding and treating mental illness.

Survivors of near-death experiences and people suffering from dissociative identity disorder (DID) have both reported encounters with a comforting presence; Dr. Harrison describes these encounters in her dissertation, “Understanding The Nature Of Spiritual Encounters In Near-Death Experiences And Dissociative Identity Disorder.” She explains the implications of her research and how it has informed her work with trauma survivors.

Dr. Harrison tells why she walked away from conventional clinical practice to serve trauma survivors, dissociative identity patients, and those on society’s margins.

Dr. Harrison’s book, “I, Sean/a: The Story of a Homeless Intersex Woman Who Inspired a Community,” is the true account of an intersex woman with schizophrenia who became an advocate for the rights of intersex people. Dr. Harrison describes her 10-year friendship with Sean/a Smith and the profound lessons she has learned along the way.

With recent headlines stirring debate about gender identity, Dr. Harrison explains what it means to be intersex, why so few people understand it, and why children born with intersex characteristics should be accepted and celebrated as they are.

Sean/a walks the equivalent of a half a marathon every day and has been dubbed the “Walker of Palm Springs.” Dr. Harrison tells how daily long-distance walking has helped Sean/a without medication, and implications for others manage mental illness and heal from trauma.